 The challenge of the Yukon King The swiftest strongest of Eskimoly dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of Northwest mounted police who preserved law and order in the Yukon during the gold rush of 98 That was the year that brought over 50,000 men swarming into the Klondike region and the greed for gold led to frequent violence and bloodshed But in spite of the odds against them, the force preserved a splendid record in maintaining the right The challenge of the north was answered and justice ruled triumphant The Buckeye Bank was silent and dark, a contrast to the lighted buildings that lined the single street of the settlement Boisterous miners, trappers, pouring into the cafes and dance halls Never noticed the two figures slip from the shadows at the back of the bank Easy now pal, there's no time for a slip-up Just keep going That does it Mush, you malamute smush Talk about a pushover Never walked in anything so easy in all my life Thanks to you, Dougan I told you we'd have to work this job from the inside, didn't I? Your old man's going to be mighty surprised in the morning when he finds his cashier gone and his safe empty Yes, sir, him and them miners I always did say a man was a fool to put his dust in the bank Just invite somebody to walk in and help themselves like we did And what's your figure we got? Yeah, there's more than 50,000 dollars worth of gold right here Added to what I took from the till yesterday Yeah, and say it was a nice profit I can see it already The boat for the states and me on board Follow the river out to the cabin, we can bunk there tonight Yeah We'll cross the river in the morning and from there on it's a clear trail this gag wave Stuttering Walt Kramer was a short stout man Rendered almost speechless in moments of excitement Standing in front of the empty safe in Buckeye's bank He was surrounded by a crowd of curious miners All of them demanding he take steps to recover the stolen gold When sergeant Preston stood in the doorway He realized immediately what had happened No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, boy It's all your fault Walt You never should have left that even cashier out of your sight But I, I, I, I tell you I, I didn't I ain't fit to be a banker, can't even talk straight Oh, wait a minute, man Hey, sergeant, the bank's been robbed Was the cashier the doner? Oh, thank heaven you're here, sergeant What was that I hear them saying about the cashier Walt? It was Dugan, Dugan Laval. He's the cashier? He was the cashier, yes. Walter, I want you to tell me what happened. Now, take your time. You might keep quiet for a few minutes. There ain't much to tell. I unlocked the doors about 15 minutes ago and found the safe doors open like that. The window over there was open, too. And there were two of them. This is the way they got out. Yes, that's what I thought. I'm all right now, Sergeant. It's just when I'm excited I start stuttering. Laval's gone, too, huh? Sure he is. I went over to his rooms myself. I think he could have left this window unlocked when he left last night. He must have climbed in. The door was locked, like I said. Think there's any chance of catching him, Sergeant? Well, Clem, there's only one answer to that. King and I are trying to pick up his trail. There ain't been any fresh snow. His tracks ought to be pretty plain. Come on, King. Looks like our work's all cut out for us. You think you'll need any help? King's all the help I'll need, Walt. First, I want a closer look at those tracks. You ain't going after them fellows alone, are you? I know that Laval from seeing him around town. I can tell you right now, Sergeant. He ain't the kind to give up without a fight. Well, every crook's ready to fight until he's cornered, Clem. All right, King, you ready, boy? All right, then get the dogs up. These tracks lead to the north, Walt. That means Laval plans to cross the river and go on to Skagway. So every minute we lose here, we'll give him a better chance to make good as getaway. Good luck to you. I sure hope you catch up with him. Goodbye. It seems to me like we've seen the last of that dust, Clem. You don't know much about Preston, do you? I don't expect the impossible, if that's what you mean. You're a man that'd be smart enough to take a job in a bank, work at it for six months, biding the time, planning a robbery like this one. He ain't going to be easily stopped. Oh, King! Oh, you hustles! There goes the only man in the Yukon that could stop him. And I'm betting you're a five-ounce poker dust right now that he puts Laval in handcuffs. It ain't for me to say, Clem, but if I was in your shoes, I'd put my money on a sureer thing. It's two of them against Preston. You're wrong there. It's two of them against Preston, and that dog of his. When it comes to a showdown, King's as good as any man. At a cabin on the river's edge, Cliff Cheney and Dugan Laval finished breakfast. Dugan watched his partner's preparations for the trip across the river through narrowed eyes. In guarded moments, his face was open and apparently honest. It was only the cold cruelty of those steady eyes that could give him away. This was a man possessed of the cunning of a fox and the deadly viciousness of a rattler coiled a strike. Dugan, you don't know what it'll mean to me seeing the last of this country. I've hated it ever since I laid eyes on it. Yeah? Cold, lonely. Only the pine trees and the wolves to keep your company on the trail. Tell you want to be careful how we load this gold on the boat. You're not going to make that boat. Oh, now look, well, the horses couldn't keep me. Dugan, put that gun down. I'll put it down when I'm finished with it. You didn't think I intended to split that money with you, did you? You're going to... Yes, I'm going to kill you. No, no, no, you can't. We worked this together. Together. I worked this robbery the same way I worked all of them. Who did the planning? Who laid the groundwork? Not you, Cliff. All you ever did was to be there at the sled at the right time. You dirty double-crossing skunk. You knew all the time what you were going to do. You've been planning to kill me all this time and I never suspected it. Yes, that's exactly right. Fine. You win. I won't stand in your way doing that. Go on, catch that boat. That boat doesn't leave until this afternoon, Cliff. It won't work. When I leave this cabin, I'm not leaving a man who'll tell any tales. I won't try to stop you. Go ahead. You'll have a boat and I won't be able to... It's no use. You're wasting time. No. No, no, no. Don't do it. It's murder. It's murder. You can't... What makes you think I'd stop short of murder? The sound of the shot carried far over the Yukon stillness. Sergeant Preston heard it and King heard it as he urged the dogs to greater speed. King, hold your huskies. Faster than any dog in the Yukon, King raced ahead of the pack sensing the urgency and the Mounties' cry. There's a cabin ahead. Shot must have come from there. Oh, King, hold your huskies. Oh, boy. Come on, fella. We're going in there. Will I see who that medicine kit on? I had to see your Mountie. I don't try to talk. They got to talk, huh? I'll have my medicine kit in a minute. Medicine kit. You got to tell you how. Save your strength. No. I'm Cliff Cheney. I work with Dugilamal. Laval? Yeah, yeah, that's right. Rob the bank and the Bunk-Eye last night. I know. I've been following your trail. That's it, fella. Over here. He's getting away, and I thought we was going to split the goal. Oh, oh, sorry. I'll try not to hurt you. He shot me. I can get away. You'd better get up. I'll use that kit open, Mountie. Leave me and save yourself. He comes back. He'll kill you, too. Cliff is gone, King. Very touching scene. Is it the duty of Mounties to play nursemaid to escaping bank robbers? Laval. Yes, I'm Laval. And you, I believe, are the famous sergeant Preston I've heard so much about. Your gun, sergeant. So the killer always returns to the scene of his crime. Not exactly. I drew back into the trees as I saw you right up here. You better quiet that dog before I silence him with a bullet. Quiet, King. I'm glad you arrived. You're just in time to finish loading my boat for me. Finish loading your boat? Outside. And remember, one false move and it'll be your last one. Cliff was an extra precaution, sergeant. Now that I've destroyed your sled and taken your gun, I won't have to worry about being stopped before the boat leaves the dock. Goodbye. The story you tell of the escape of Duke Laval should be very interesting. King, King Othello, start to work on these ropes. That's it, boy. I knew you wanted a chance at them, but I didn't want to risk having him put a bullet through your heart. He's a cold-blooded killer. The pride of all cowards. But we'll stop him, King. We'll stop him in a way that'll surprise him. There. Now my hands are free. Those teeth of yours, this is that rope in a record time. Now to get this rope off my feet. That long rope over there in the corner, King, bring it to me. King, I'm going to fasten this rope to your collar. It wasn't time to put a raft together. So, while this tied around my waist and the other end of your collar, we'll have to swim the river. Luckily, it's fairly narrow. Preston's fingers worked quickly, securing the knots in the rope attached to the dog's collar, while King stood by obediently, waiting for his master's commands. With the slack of the rope coil about his arm, the Mountie walked with the dog to the river's edge. Together, they plunged into the icy waters. All right, King. Swim, Port. When you get to the other side, wrap this rope around a tree. Don't only make it. I can swim and partially pull myself to shore. That's it, King. Keep going, Phillip. The dog pulled against the current, which at times seemed powerful enough to pull him downstream. The Mountie watched, his eyes on King. Could he make it? Could he make it? Good boy, King. He's almost ashore. He made it. Oh, good old King. It was later that afternoon. Passengers were loading into the boat at Skagway. Dugan Laval stood on the dock as he preferred to fall into line, a smile of deep satisfaction freezing his face. Waiting to get on the boat, too, partner? Yes. Going back to the stage, eh? And you? Heading in the same direction, and maybe I wouldn't be glad to get there. This country's all right for them, it likes it. But not for me. You look pretty pleased about leaving it. Yes. Yes, I'm very pleased to be leaving the Yukon. The only thing that holds this place together is the Mounties. Boy, what a rat's nest this would be without them. All this gold and men cutting each other's throats to get it. It all depends on how you look at it. And you'll be looking at it from behind bars, Laval. Preston! Yes, we meet again. Only this time I'm holding the gun. How did you pay? What's going on here? Very simple, I swam the river, made my way to a trading post where a trapper was kind enough to give me these clothes and this gun. Between us, King and I always get our man. Yes, King, the case is closed. Challenge of the Yukon, a copyrighted feature of the Challenge of the Yukon, Incorporated, brought to you every Saturday at this time, originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit. The characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious.